Jesus said, "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent (Mt.12:7). To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices (Mt. 12:33)."
I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
Listen, my people, I will speak; I will testify against you; God your God, am I. Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, not for your holocausts, set before me daily. I need no bullock from your house, no goats from your fold. For every animal of the forest is mine, beasts by the thousands on my mountains. I know every bird of the heavens; the creatures of the field belong to me. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for mine is the world and all that fills it (Psalm 50:7-12).
Offer praise as your sacrifice to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call on me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me (Psalm 50:14-15).
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. - Psalm 116:17
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years (Malachi 3:2-4).
Traditional Sacrifice
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast" (Mark 2:18-19)
Customary Sacrifice
19 And Elka'nah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her; 20 and in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."
21 The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vows, 22 Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, “Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the Lord and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.” (1 Samuel 1:19-23)
We grew up with cultures and traditions that sometimes run opposite to the teachings of Christ. There are even others who still live under superstitious beliefs. These greatly affects the size of our faith in God to the point that unknowingly, we are already practicing idolatry. Although our culture and traditions were meant to give us an identity as citizens of a nation, we must at all times be mindful that in a bigger picture or larger perspective, we are all citizens of the kingdom of God, regardless of race or color.
Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15). As it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26). This is why Jesus said, As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast" (Mark 2:18-19).
When the Lord knocks at our door, we should always be open and ready to be renewed and transformed into His likeness, breaking all barriers that keep us from experiencing His mighty presence and awesome powers over our lives. You may have lived under a guided set of rules and traditions but at the end of the day, you are still a child of God.
Jesus is enough to make your joy full and complete. Break your traditions and follow Him all the way!
Prayer
Father in heaven, you have manifested your living presence to be with us through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord and Savior. With Him, we have found the right way that can truly please you. His words are the absolute truth that would truly leads us to the glory of your kingdom.
No amount of sacrifice can give praise and glory to your Name except for our openness to accept and receive Jesus in our hearts and allow Him to be with us all the days of our lives. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself (Hebrews 7:27).
May the merciful heart of Jesus be upon us each day that radiates our great love for you. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years (Malachi 3:2-4).
Traditional Sacrifice
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast" (Mark 2:18-19)
Customary Sacrifice
19 And Elka'nah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her; 20 and in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."
21 The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vows, 22 Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, “Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the Lord and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.” (1 Samuel 1:19-23)
Reflection
Is Jesus with you today?
We grew up with cultures and traditions that sometimes run opposite to the teachings of Christ. There are even others who still live under superstitious beliefs. These greatly affects the size of our faith in God to the point that unknowingly, we are already practicing idolatry. Although our culture and traditions were meant to give us an identity as citizens of a nation, we must at all times be mindful that in a bigger picture or larger perspective, we are all citizens of the kingdom of God, regardless of race or color.
Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15). As it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26). This is why Jesus said, As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast" (Mark 2:18-19).
When the Lord knocks at our door, we should always be open and ready to be renewed and transformed into His likeness, breaking all barriers that keep us from experiencing His mighty presence and awesome powers over our lives. You may have lived under a guided set of rules and traditions but at the end of the day, you are still a child of God.
Jesus is enough to make your joy full and complete. Break your traditions and follow Him all the way!
Prayer
Father in heaven, you have manifested your living presence to be with us through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord and Savior. With Him, we have found the right way that can truly please you. His words are the absolute truth that would truly leads us to the glory of your kingdom.
No amount of sacrifice can give praise and glory to your Name except for our openness to accept and receive Jesus in our hearts and allow Him to be with us all the days of our lives. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself (Hebrews 7:27).
May the merciful heart of Jesus be upon us each day that radiates our great love for you. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
